Joel 1

1 This is the word [message from God, divine declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] that came [was given, came to be] to Joel [Jehovah is God, a prophet of God] son [descendant, offspring] of Pethuel [vision of God, one who sees God]: word study 2 Hear [listen attentively, pay attention] this, O elders [old men, leaders]; and give ear [pay attention, obey], all [every single one] who dwell [live, reside] in the land [country, territory]. Has anything [an event, a circumstance] like this [such a thing, this situation] ever happened [occurred, existed] in your days [time, lifetime] or in the days [time, era] of your fathers [ancestors, predecessors]? word study 3 Tell it [to your sons, and have them recount] to your children [sons or descendants]; let your children [sons or descendants] tell it [recount, pass down] to their children [sons or descendants], and their children [the next generation] to the next [another, succeeding] generation [a period of time, a group of people living at the same time]. word study 4 What the devouring [cutting, palmer-worm] locust has left, the swarming [great] locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young [hopping, canker-worm] locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying [caterpillar, ravaging] locust has eaten. word study 5 Wake up [arise, from your spiritual stupor], you drunkards [intoxicated, under the influence], and weep [mourn, lament]; wail [cry out, howl], all you drinkers of wine [those who indulge in fermented wine], because of the sweet wine [new wine, freshly pressed grape juice], for it has been cut off [removed, taken away] from your mouth [lips, the edge of your being]. word study 6 For a nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew people] has invaded My land [country, territory], powerful [mighty, strong] and without number [countless, innumerable]; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and its fangs [jaw, tooth] are the fangs of a lioness [fierce, powerful]. word study 7 It has laid waste [made desolate, ruined] My grapevine [vine] and splintered [broken into fragments, shattered] My fig tree [fig, a common food source]. It has stripped off [made bare, uncovered] the bark and thrown it away [cast it down, discarded]; the branches [tendrils, twining shoots] have turned white [become pale, lost vitality]. word study 8 Wail [lament, mourn deeply] like a virgin [young woman, bride] dressed in sackcloth [coarse cloth], grieving [lamenting, in deep sorrow] for the husband [master, lord] of her youth [early years, young adulthood]. word study 9 Grain [food offerings, meal offerings] and drink [libation, wine] offerings have been cut [destroyed, ceased] off from the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]; the priests [Levitical priests, spiritual leaders] are in mourning [lamenting, sorrowing], those who minister [serve, worship] before the LORD [the Almighty God]. word study 10 The field [land, earth, or ground] is ruined [devastated, laid waste]; the land [earth, ground] mourns [laments, is sorrowful]. For the grain [wheat, corn] is destroyed [ruined, wasted], the new wine [freshly squeezed, fermented] is dried up [withers, languishes], and the oil [olive oil] fails [weakens, is depleted]. word study 11 Be dismayed [be ashamed, confounded], O farmers [husbandmen, workers of the land], wail [howl, mourn], O vinedressers [tenders of vineyards], over the wheat [grain, staple crop] and barley [cereal, food source], because the harvest [crop, gathering] of the field [land, territory] has perished [been destroyed, lost]. word study 12 The grapevine [vine] is dried up, and the fig tree [a common food source] is withered; the pomegranate, palm, and apple— all [every single one] the trees of the orchard [field, cultivated land]—are withered. Surely [because, for this reason] the joy [rejoicing, celebration] of mankind [sons of men, humanity] has dried up [withened away, lost its vitality]. word study 13 Put on [gird yourselves with] sackcloth [a coarse cloth or burlap] and lament [mourn, express deep sadness], O priests [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and people]; wail [howl, cry out in distress], O ministers [servants, attendants] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]. Come, spend the night [lie all night, pass the evening] in sackcloth [rough, humble clothing], O ministers [servants, attendants] of my God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], because the grain [food] and drink [liquid] offerings [gifts, sacrifices] are withheld [cut off, stopped] from the house [dwelling place, temple] of your God [Elohim, the one supreme God]. word study 14 Consecrate [set apart, dedicate] a fast [abstain from food, humble yourselves]; proclaim [call out, announce] a solemn assembly [sacred meeting, gathering]! Gather [bring together, assemble] the elders [old men, respected leaders] and all [every single one, the entire population] the residents [inhabitants, dwellers] of the land [country, territory] to the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, supreme Creator], and cry out [shout, plead] to the LORD [Yehovah]. word study 15 Alas [oh, a cry of sorrow] for the day [a time of reckoning]! For the Day [a period of judgment] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Almighty God] is near [at hand, approaching quickly], and it will come as destruction [violence, ruin] from the Almighty [Shadday, the all-powerful One]. word study 16 Has not [completely, utterly] the food [sustenance, nourishment] been cut off [destroyed, severed] before our very eyes [in our sight, visibly]— joy [happiness, gladness] and gladness [rejoicing, delight] from the house [dwelling place, temple] of our God [Elohim, the supreme God]? word study 17 The seeds [rotten, shriveled] lie shriveled [abash, to dry up] beneath the clods [lumps of earth]; the storehouses [treasure houses, granaries] are in ruins [desolate, devastated]; the granaries [barns, storehouses for grain] are broken down [overthrown, destroyed], for the grain [wheat or corn] has withered away [to wither, become dry]. word study 18 How the cattle [beasts, livestock] groan [sigh, mourn]! The herds [flocks] wander in confusion [perplexed, at a loss] because they have no [none, nothing] pasture [grazing land, feeding ground]. Even the flocks [herds] of sheep [sheep or goats] are suffering [made desolate, in distress]. word study 19 To You, O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], I call [cry out to], for fire [flames] has consumed [devoured, eaten away] the open pastures [habitations, pleasant places] and flames [a burning fire] have scorched [burned, kindled] all [everything] the trees [strong and firm objects] of the field [land, a flat area]. word study 20 Even the beasts [wild animals, livestock] of the field [open land, pasture] pant [long, yearn] for You, for the streams [rivers, channels] of water [liquid refreshment] have dried up [withered, become empty], and fire [burning, flame] has consumed [devoured, eaten] the open pastures [habitation, pleasant places]. word study